1923

Yeah, that’s the white land set. That room in particular was somewhat annoying!

1924

It was definitely a surprise. As was the second boss showing up. I think I laughed, fully in Stockholm syndrome at that point.

What the hell is the lore on these snails, anyway? What does Vaati have to say about them?

1925

I was literally just wondering the same thing. They are kind of bizarre when you stop to think about them.

1926

I think I need more somber stone levels to beat out the scaling. A comet hits for 720 with the meteorite staff, and ~ 650 with the fancy staff + 5. Either it’ll outscale by leveling it up, or I’ll get more int.

That said, as you say 20 vitality is a hard way to go. I nuke everything, or I get 2 shot by almost everything. I’ll probably farm at least 10 vit points soon, as it’s very hard going on some directions of the plateau - trash mobs die like the trash they are, but anything that closes the gap murders my face. I’m probably going to hit a wall where I need the vit to really progress as I don’t have the magic reflexes to make this work.

1927

The carian regal staff should outshine the meteor staff by around +8. It’s much better at +10. With 80 Int, a +10 regal carian staff has +373 sorcery scaling. The meteorite staff is at 272. That said, it is sometimes worthwhile to offhand the meteor stick, if you want to max damage with a gravity spell.

20 vitality is hardmode.

1928

No question. Going from 25 vit to 41 was the difference between twenty frustrating goes at Radahn and two tries, the second a victory.

1929

I’m level 69 and hit the plateau above Caria Manor as well. I thought I was kicking ass against the dragon there but it disappeared when I got its hit points half way down. Does it ever come back?

1930

Well looks like my Diallos quest line is ruined as well. Come on Fromsoft. So the issue is he’s supposed to be a Jarburg and he’s not. I’ve satisfied all the possible quest stuff for Alexander, the Jarburg, and Diallos and… nothing. Looking online I’m not the only one. Killing Rykard before finishing Volcano quest line stuff just screws your game up too much. Stupid.

1931

Questing is such a disconnected tossup that I’m not sure I even want to care about that added level frustration on top of everything else - I was trying to get the Jarberg quest line to get going given I’ve run into Alexander before once, but I can’t seen to find A anywhere else, and I don’t get the conversation at Jarberg to mention the poacher.

It’s a good thing the exploration part of the game is something I really enjoy, I can’t follow the questlines at all.

1932

It has gone somewhere else, and you will most likely see it again.

1933

Can the celestial dew / church of redemption fix that?

1934

Is there a place where a level 40 not so gud player can find a somber smithing stone 3? I’ve only been in Limgrave and Weeping Peninsula so far (and not finished with it.)

1935

Sounds like you haven’t finished Stormveil Castle yet which is the natural way to introduce you to Liurnia of the Lakes region. But you can go there without that. Seek ye the finger crone outside the castle. She has a not too subtle suggestion for how to get there. I think you’ll start to find Somber 3 there.

1936

As Peach said, you can simply bypass Stormveil Castle for now and go explore Liurna of the Lakes. There’s a merchant there (Iji) who sells Somber Smithing Stones 1 - 4 for runes.

1937

You’ll catch up with it later.

Edit: as @SadleyBradley already said!

1938

you are not supposed to do everything or find everything in your first playthrough… it’s a game design from a different age. I actually don’t think someone should look up everything in wikis or what.
It makes it replayable, because you can always find something new, you didn’t find in your first playthrough.

1939

When I was a teenager I would have agreed with you. But as a 41 year self employed single parent of two, I will never play elden ring twice. I have let elden ring suck up way to much of my time as it is. Cant believe I have over 130 hours into it. Thats at least 100 hours of neglect right? If I buy 2 more computers and nake them play with me…then it will be family time.

1940

It’s part of most open world games. Any of the fallout games or dragon age games you take a chance in your choices and then have to live with them. Good or bad.

1941

In an area before the Fire Giant.

1942

Don’t play this game for the quests. You will never be happy if you do. Play it to finish. Play it to win.